


Budding

by somnivagrantTraviatus



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-31
Updated: 2017-03-31
Packaged: 2018-10-13 05:16:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 910
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10507023
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/somnivagrantTraviatus/pseuds/somnivagrantTraviatus
Summary: Sans and Asgore have a talk about fatherhood.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [thealmightywonderwaffle](https://archiveofourown.org/users/thealmightywonderwaffle/gifts).



> This was written back in December as a Secret Santa gift for Vunde. Posting it here for completeness's sake.

“You know,” Asgore says, “if you are going to watch me garden, you might as well join me.”

Sans doesn't slip out from the corner so much as sag, like letting out a breath he’s tired of holding. "nah, that'd mean work.” Still, he edges closer, coming to stand near Asgore’s side.

The skeleton looks tired, Asgore notes. Well, he always does, nowadays. But this is a deeper tired, one that causes Sans’s shoulders to slump and the lights of his eyes to dim. A tired that drags at his typically glib tongue (does he have a tongue?) until it's all tied up into clumsy knots.

A familiar tired. 

A smile tugs at Asgore’s lips. Well. It had only been a matter of time.

He stands, setting down his trowel and stretching with a groan. Honestly, he should know better by now than to spend so much time kneeling, but how can he stop when the flowers look so much better for his care? “Well, then. I believe I am ready for a little break. Would you care to join me for some tea?”

Sans’s hands ball deeper in his pockets, but he nods. Wordless, he follows Asgore into the house and collapses into the nearest chair.

Asgore chuckles quietly at the tapping of bone on wood. Sans’s leg bouncing is far more restrained than Undyne’s table smashing, but Asgore recognizes a similar anxious energy. Still, the skeleton’s eyes on him are heavy as he reaches for the tea… and comes down with the wrong box.

“You know,” Asgore muses, opening a different cabinet and beginning to rummage through his stock, “I cannot seem to find anything on the first try in this house. It is difficult, when everything is so new.”

He pours the water over the leaves and stirs, taking a whiff of the steam as it rises. Mm, perfect. “And yet, the tea turns out fine.”

“yeah, but you're good at it.” Sans follows him with his eyes as he brings the mugs to the table. “if i tried, i bet it'd be tea-rrible.”

It takes him a moment, but Asgore laughs. “Perhaps. But it is only tea, after all. You could always try another pot.”

“nah, better not. don't wanna cause too much tea-rouble.” He holds the mug in both hands, seemingly unable to take any comfort in the heat, and stares into its depths. “hey, asgore? what do you do when a kid calls you ‘dad’?”

The king takes a sip, taking advantage of the mug to hide his smile. “Well. The first question I would ask is, ‘Do I wish to be this child's father?’”

“and, uh. how d’you know that one?”

“I would ask myself, ‘Do I care about this child’s happiness?’”

He ducks his head. “yeah.”

“‘Would it make them sad, if they could not call me ‘father’?’”

A long, slow blink, followed by a sigh. “probably.”

“Then you should be that child’s father.” Asgore holds up a hand, forestalling the skeleton’s protests. “Whether you believe yourself to be ready does not matter. There are no rules for fatherhood that one may memorize. All that you can do is your best.”

“my best, huh.” He sinks lower in his chair, looking more tired than ever as the creases under his eye sockets catch the light.

Asgore lays a paw over his hand. “Sans. I am sure you will be a great father.”

He laughs hollowly. “sure, asgore, that's a good one.”

“It is no joke.” He takes a sip, watching sadly over the rim as Sans hunches into his shoulders. “Would you like to know how I know?”

“shoot.”

“Because you are here, asking questions and doubting that you could live up to the answers.”

Sans huffs a laugh, unmoved. “anybody could do that.”

“And anyone could be a good person, if they just tried,” Asgore counters. “How many do not?”

“heh.” The skeleton remains unconvinced.

“In addition.” Asgore takes another sip, then sets the mug down gently on the table. “While it may not have been your official duty, you did an excellent job raising your brother.”

Sans blinks, caught between equal desire to defer the praise and to compliment his brother. Finally, he grins, tipping his head back and dropping his spine. “he did turn out pretty great, didn't he.”

“The greatest,” Asgore agrees, mirroring his smile. “And – not that I think you will need it, but if you would like some help, I would be more than happy to assist.”

“thanks, asgore.” Sans gives him a sincere smile, and Asgore is struck by the lights in his eyes. Had he really looked so hopeless before? “i’ll add you to the list. aldyne made sure i knew they'd be willing t’help out, too.”

“...Aldyne?” Either he’s getting old, or he’s missed out on another introduction to the group.

“alphys ‘n undyne. ‘s what they want us to call them when we're talking about them both.”

“I see.” Well, sort of. “Is this one of those ‘ship names’ Alphys was telling me about?”

Sans just laughs and pulls himself to his feet. “seeya, fluffybuns. thanks for the tea.” With a lazy two-finger salute, he ambles out of the room.

Asgore sighs. He knows better than to go after the skeleton, but honestly, Sans hadn't touched his tea.

He gazes mournfully into his own mug and stands, tipping the last few drops into his mouth as he collects Sans’s. 

Somehow, it’s empty.


End file.
